


snowed in

by humancorn



Series: Gift Exchange Fics 2020 [3]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Bardlings are mentioned in passing, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Future Fic, Hot Chocolate, M/M, Post-Battle of Five Armies, Post-Canon, Romantic Fluff, Slice of Life, Snowed In, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27931750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/humancorn/pseuds/humancorn
Summary: Bard & Thranduil get snowed in. They cuddle, have some hot beverages, and overall have a cozy time.
Relationships: Bard the Bowman/Thranduil
Series: Gift Exchange Fics 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2071854
Comments: 12
Kudos: 15
Collections: Have A Happy Hobbit Holiday 2020





	snowed in

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BogginsofEternalStench (TeaBagginsFromtheOak)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaBagginsFromtheOak/gifts).



> This is the first time I've written Barduil - so hopefully it turns out alright! Cozy winter-themed fluff is 100% my jam so ye!!
> 
> I was also not aware that apparently Bard is supposed to be 50 years old in the movieverse & almost 80 in the book????????????? Disregarding that, I've always seen him as like mid-30s, so I'm imagining him as mid-40s here?

Bard woke slowly. He was warm and comfortable, and as he poked his head out of the plush covers of Thranduil’s bed, he could feel a distinct chill in the air. The fireplace was still burning low from the night before, but the dying embers would need to be stoked if they wanted the room to warm up again. 

He glanced over toward the door, where Thranduil and an attendant were speaking in low, hushed Sindarin. Bard felt the corners of his mouth turn up in a smile. Thranduil’s hair was still mussed from sleep. He’d obviously run his hands through it before answering the door, but there were still small, wavy remnants of the braids Bard had put in his hair as they were falling asleep last night. 

Bard yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, carefully sitting up in bed while wrapping his blanket around his shoulders to keep himself warm. It was likely still early in the morning - Thranduil was still in his bed clothes and he’d made no motion to wake Bard so he could make it back to Dale before sundown. But, it never hurt to get an early start. 

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, reveling in the warmth of their bed and how soft the blanket felt against his skin before he’d inevitably have to get dressed and venture out into the cold of the winter. He could hear the door click shut and glanced over at Thranduil. 

If there was one thing Bard had gotten better at in the ten years he and Thranduil had been involved with each other - it was reading him. The somber expression on his lover’s face held a barely contained note of mischievous joy and Bard could only wonder just what exactly the elf at the door had told him. 

Thranduil crossed the room in two quick strides, deftly untying the robe he’d put on to answer the door and slipping seamlessly back under the covers next to him. Curious, Bard settled back down into bed and Thranduil pulled him closer before burying his face in the crook of Bard's neck.

“It snowed last night.” Thranduil’s breath ghosted across his skin and Bard leaned into it, slowly wrapping his arms around Thranduil and entwining their legs. They pressed together, close, warm, and comfortable.

“Oh?” Bard chuckled, turning his head to press a soft kiss to Thranduil’s cheek, “How unfortunate, seeing as I must leave today.”

He could feel Thranduil smile against his skin, “Oh  _ no _ , it’s much too treacherous,” Thranduil pulled back and pressed his forehead to Bard’s before leaning in to give him a slow, easy kiss. When they parted, Thranduil looked him dead in the eyes, that mischievous sparkle playing in the light of the early morning, “Simply tragic. You  _ must _ stay at least a few more days.” 

Bard kissed him again, brushing his lips across Thranduil’s cheek, placing tiny pecks across his jawline until he got to his ear, “A tragedy indeed,” Bard breathed, feeling Thranduil tense, and he grinned as he buried his face back into his lover’s shoulder. 

“I suppose Sigrid and Bain can take care of Dale for just a few more days,” Bard said, settling back into the warmth of the bed. With Thranduil wrapped around him it was all too easy to slip back into sleep. 

-

When Bard woke again the bed was empty beside him. He rose and looked around the room, only to find a newly rekindled fire with Thranduil nowhere to be seen. Bard sighed and stood, shivering as he left the protective warmth of the bed and it’s many furs. 

Slowly, he made his way to the hearth, absently stoking the fire as he thought about what he might do today. He had been planning on heading back to Dale, but if there was enough snow to prevent him from travelling, that likely meant it wouldn’t be safe to venture outside of the palace at all. 

Bard yawned and grabbed a couple of the blankets from the bed, settling them over himself as he made himself comfortable on the little couch by the hearth. The fire was warm and smelled nice - much nicer than any fire had a right to smell. He’d seen Thranduil throw herbs in the hearth before starting it, as he often did in the winter months, and even now the rosemary-tinted smoke smelled heavenly. Even if he had no intention of actually going back to sleep, he let his eyes drift closed, and let his mind wander. 

Winter was often slow for him and his people, so taking a few days off to relax shouldn’t cause that much trouble in the long run - and now that Sigrid was nearly 25 for goodness sake, she and Bain could definitely --

  
Bard’s thoughts were cut short as he felt someone sit on the other end of the couch, the soft clatter of cups and trays joining the cracking of the fire. He cracked open his eyes and sat upright, finding Thranduil on the other end of the couch, a soft grey mug tucked in his hands. 

He smiled at Bard and moved to hand him a mug of his own. They sat in comfortable silence for a long while until Thranduil finished his mug of hot cocoa and set it down on the table in front of the hearth. There was a tray on the table filled with a wide assortment of small sandwiches and sweets. 

Thranduil grabbed two biscuits covered in a thin, white icing and handed one to Bard as he flopped down onto the couch, pillowing his head in Bard’s lap. He popped the whole thing into his mouth in a movement that looked effortless and graceful and Bard snorted at him. 

“Plans for today?” Bard asked, taking another sip of his cocoa. He already knew what Thranduil was going to say - but it never hurt to be sure.

“I think you need a day of rest, meleth nîn.” Thranduil took the hand that Bard was not using to hold his mug and brought it to his face, gently kissing his palm.

"Not a bad way to spend a cold and dreary day,” Bard mused as he ran his fingers through Thranduil’s hair, smiling when the elf shivered at the sensation.  _ Not bad at all,  _ Bard chuckled to himself as he finished off the last of his hot cocoa _.  _


End file.
